2022 Winners & Shortlists

Write a short summary of what happens in the film

A young fan is cheering on Usain Bolt in the semi-final of a race. Usain wins but despite the boy's best efforts from the stands and his home-made sign, his support goes unnoticed. Afterwards, the boy is disappointed but upon reaching home he has an idea. We see him enthusiastically working on his computer, printing things out using his Epson printer and sticking pieces of paper together. The next day, the boy is back in the stands for the final. As the gun fires, we see the boy unfurling a giant banner. It catches Usain's eye, he gives the boy a wink and is inspired to overtake the race leader just before the finishing line, clinching victory. Usain celebrates and invites the boy to join him on the track. We see them making Usain's trademark pose together and then see the boy printing out a photo of this historic moment.

Tell the jury about type(s) of animation used and summarise any relevant challenges or techniques.

When Epson partnered with the world's fastest man, we were approached to create a heart-warming tale of Usain's biggest fan. Having a celebrity as the main protagonist meant developing a recognisable character design with a delicate balance between reality and stylisation. We created detailed studies, lists of facial expressions and a body language library. Since Epson was advertising one of the best inkjet printers on the market, we wanted to adopt a rich colour scheme with high contrast and mimic a natural cinematic look. All shots were staged in a way a cinematographer would do on an actual set, using digital equivalents of prime camera lenses and employing realistic shot compositions, camera movements, depth of field and chromatic aberration. With over 40 shots containing multiple characters, animation was no easy task. Most shots were animated using a frame by frame posing technique, evoking a warm feeling of classic cel animation.